


Not So Good Anymore

by Elenhin



Category: The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-12
Updated: 2013-12-12
Packaged: 2018-01-04 10:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1079874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenhin/pseuds/Elenhin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a sort of inoficial sequel to Mistletoe and Wine by the ever wonderful Aramirandme81. In Mistletoe and Wine it is clear that Valerie is not completely innocent when it comes to what later happens with Anders. </p>
<p>In this sort of follow up story, the events from then is quite some time ago, but they affect Anders still. Certain parts of Christmas will forever be somewhat tinted for him.</p>
<p>Huge thanks as always to Aramirandme81 for allowing as well as encouraging me to do this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not So Good Anymore

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aramirandme81](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aramirandme81/gifts).



Not So Good Anymore

 

Dawn smiled to herself as she put the spray can down. This was much better than spray-painting an active volcano. She had just been spraying fake snow along the edge of the window. Anders had given her the go-ahead to decorate the office for Christmas, and told her she could do whatever she liked.  
  
There was a small tree in the corner, decorated with electric candles, tinsel and bulbs in every colour. There were also some golden brass bells there and she had found it more than a little amusing how Anders would love to tap them to make them tingle. She had sprayed fake snow on the red bull fridge, a rim along the door and used some tinsel as well.

 

Not even the espresso machine had escaped her attention, and she had found several mugs with a Christmas theme on them. She could tell Anders actually enjoyed it, and he was the one who had put a Santa hat on the ‘moose head’ on the wall.

 

She had been working on it for several days actually and it was really starting to feel like Christmas.

  
Anders had bought some hot chocolate portion packs with marshmallows and had shown up one morning with some tin cans of cookies. She would have expected them to be store bought but when she found they were homemade she figured he must have made Ty make them for him. She had never seen him cook anything so far.

 

Now the first thing he did after getting his coffee was to fill two plates with various cookies, placing one on her desk as he took the other to his own.

 

Dawn smiled to herself as she sat down to work at her own desk, though she kept looking up from time to time. There was something about the Christmas decorations that really made her feel at peace.

 

Anders though she noticed kept scratching at his neck and wrists as if he had an itch, and as the day progressed he did it more and more.

 

“Anders, are you alright?” she finally asked when she heard him his and looked up to see him dig his nails into the side of his neck.

 

“It itches,” he complained.

 

“You’ve been scratching so that your skin is all red,” she sighed as she got up to have a closer look. The skin at his neck was indeed red, and she realized there was a rash, it was showing on his wrists as well upon closer inspection and she frowned.

 

“Anders, take off your shirt,” she ordered him. His hair was cropped short as always, but she could see a hint of the rash wanting to spread up his neck and his scalp.

 

“Why?” he frowned and gave her a slightly suspicious look. “Normally I’d think you wanted sex and be thrilled, but you never seem to want that, and that means it won’t be much fun for me. So, if you don’t want sex, why do I have to take my shirt off?”

 

“It looks like you have a rash there, I need to see how far it goes,” she decided, reaching to unbutton his shirt.

 

“I would have preferred it if you decided you wanted sex,” he pouted though he started to unbutton his shirt.

 

“Sorry,” as he pulled it off she bit her lip. It was more prominent in places, but the rash was all over his chest and back. Angry red in places, a faint pink blush in other spots, and a few blisters forming by his armpits and inner elbow. “Oh, this looks nasty,” she reached out a careful finger to touch one spot and he hissed.

 

Anders scowled as he looked down at his chest, then pulled at the lining of his slacks, the rash spreading down his waist as well. Pulling his ankle up over his knee he pushed the cuff of his slacks up and Dawn shook his head when his ankle showed pink and slightly flushed.

 

“What is this?” she frowned. “Anders, have you eaten anything you’re allergic to?”

 

“No,” he shook his head at the same time as he scratched.

 

“Are you sure, cause you know you keep changing and being allergic to something new while you eat something you couldn’t eat before,” she reminded him. Putting the back of her hand to his forehead she frowned again. “And you have a fever too, what’s going on Anders?”

 

Sighing tiredly Anders looked around the office, it looked really neat with all the decorations and he liked it. “When you hung all this, did you hang any mistletoe?”

 

“Yes, a small sprig,” she admitted. “I nearly didn’t knowing how you are, but well, it is Christmas.” She had actually purposefully avoided standing under it as not to give him an excuse.

 

“Well, that’s it then,” Anders scratched at his chest. “Would you mind throwing it out, please?”

 

“Of course I will,” she stated. “But what about you, looks like a really nasty reaction. Are you gonna be okay?”

 

“Rash usually lasts for a couple of days, at least I imagine so. Was a couple of years since, I don’t hang mistletoe, but I assume it hasn’t really changed,” he decided.

 

“Well, we’d better get you home,” Dawn stated.

 

“Huh,” Anders blinked confused.

 

“We’d better get you home so you can rest,” she urged. “And we have to do something about that rash too, what did you do last time?”

 

“Nothing really, just waited until it went away,” he shrugged.

 

“Well, some chamomile lotion should help,” she decided. “And stop scratching,” she pulled his hand away from his shoulder. Already the rash was turning into sores where he was scratching.

 

“I can’t help it, it itches,” he complained.

 

“That’s why we need the lotion,” she smiled. “Now put your shirt on again so we can take you home.”

 

Anders who figured it would at least mean he got away from the mistletoe pulled on his shirt again and buttoned it but did not tuck it in.  
  
Dawn drove, insisting that if he tried to scratch and drive at the same time he’d only have a wreck, and he had to admit she had a point. Dawn was also the one who went into the store to get lotion while he waited in the car. Her reasoning on that point was that the rash looked quite nasty. Since he can’t argue that, and since he really hates shopping anyway he is more than happy to do as he’s told.

 

Then as soon as they get inside his flat he’s pulling the shirt off again as it really aggravates the itch.

 

“I guess you’d better take off your trousers too,” Dawn decides. “You really have the rash all over.”

 

“I thought that might be crossing the boss and employ boundary,” he grins though he does start to unbutton the trousers. He does not itch everywhere, but the rash is literally covering his whole body, and where it’s worst it itches. The back of his knees are pretty bad, as are his elbows. The lotion really helps though, more than he had expected as he applies it.

 

“It might be,” Dawn admits. “But I think we can stretch the rules this once. And I don’t think you can reach your back, so I’ll have to give you a hand anyway.”

 

“Yes please,” there is such a pleading note in his voice that she can’t help but smile. Anders hardly ever uses such a voice with her. But then one thing she has noticed about Anders is that it seems to be the smallest gestures that mean the most to him. He does not really understand the concept of asking very well, but she thinks it is for fear of being turned down. He is worried about being turned down and forgotten so she tries very hard to make sure he will not feel that way.

 

She has known him and his family long enough to know it is not entirely his fault he feels that way. He feels forgotten because he has been forgotten many times and though he is an adult she has sworn to herself to never be responsible for him feeling that way.

 

“Turn around Anders,” taking a moment to warm the lotion in her hand she gently applies it and Anders sighs in relief. 

 

“Are you going to be okay on your own, or do you want me to stay?” Dawn asks when she is done, and she can see the hesitation in his eyes.

 

“I think I can manage,” he decides finally. “Put on lotion, and wait until it goes away.”

 

“I didn’t ask if you could manage Anders,” she reminds him. “I asked if you wanted me to stay. Whether you ‘need’ me to or not isn’t the important thing here.”

 

“But you got better things to do?” again there is the hesitation she do not like. Someone as confident as Anders should not be that unsure.

 

“Not really, and we need to keep an eye on that fever to,” she decides. “Why don’t I pick up some soup and some ice cream, maybe a couple of movies.”

 

“Okay,” Anders nods, and there is a gratitude in his eyes that nearly breaks Dawn’s heart. He looks like a little boy who just found out that there really is a Santa Clause after all.

 

She only goes to the corner store for soup and ice cream, the video store is just half a block away and she picks out a couple of movies. Not really sure what Anders likes at all but she figures what they watch isn’t really what is important here.

 

It’s only later when it is time for her to leave and she helps him put more lotion on his back that she finds herself asking. “When did you become allergic to mistletoe anyway? I’ve never known anyone to have this severe a reaction to it.”

 

“It’s complicated,” he’s tired, weary. It’s been a long day and he really only wants to sleep by now.

 

“Complicated?” her curiosity gets the better of her and she sits on the edge of the bed beside him.

 

“Yeah,” Anders nods. “I guess it’s not really the mistletoe itself, not that way anyway. It’s more what happened.”

 

“Can you tell me?” she asks, concerned now. For something to have this severe effect it has to have been something serious. “You don’t have to, but well, maybe it would be good if I knew.”

 

“I never told Mike,” Anders sighs. He’s tired, and perhaps this isn’t the time to decide if he should tell her or not. Perhaps he should continue to keep it a complete secret, but then again he’s sick of that. “Dawn, I know you think I’m a wanker, and well, man-whore I guess. If I tell you, will you believe me?”

 

“You’re not a complete wanker Anders, you’re much too nice for that,” she muses. “And I know you sometimes stretch the truth, and yes, lies, but you’ve never lied to me when it is concerning something important.”

 

“It was Val once, she was drunk, she and Rob always used to go for it,” he starts slowly. “I knew that, but then Rob got in the coma, and Val and Mike, and there was the mistletoe, she got me under it, got me stuck there, and she, she was drunk and I guess she didn’t care what she was doing.”

 

“Did, did she?” Dawn finds herself holding her breath, but Anders shakes his head.

 

“I got away, that time, and a couple more times like it. Always seemed to be with the fucking mistletoe, but I hated it, and Mike would’ve been pissed if he found out.”

 

“You should have told him,” she stated as she put a hand on his shoulder.

 

“And be the one who wrecked Christmas for everyone?” he gave a snort. “No thanks.”

 

“Anders, that wasn’t you, that was her,” she insisted firmly. Wondering absently how this had affected Anders. Anders who loved women but did not understand the first things about commitment.  
  
The more she learned about his childhood the more amazed she was that he was as gentle and carrying as he was. He had been abused and used in so many ways, and never really had anyone to turn to.

 

“Mike felt guilty as hell for what happened to Rob, he kept thinking if he and Valerie was together that would make some part of it alright,” he started slowly. “If it was between me and Val, well, let’s just say that’s pretty much the reason I got kicked out of the house.”

 

“You did tell him?” she frowned.

 

“No, I tried to show him how she was,” he shrugged, absently scratching at his elbow. “It was my twenty first, so she was kinda drunk, Mike was sober I guess but he’d had a couple of beers. I had the bright idea I was twenty one, I should do something about it. Didn’t take much, she was just shy of cornering me as it was. Slept with her and figured Mike would see how it was, but he didn’t.”

 

“What happened?” Dawn asked, worriedly. It did not sound good at all.

 

“Mike walked in on us, I got the beating of my life and got kicked out while she sat and cried,” he stated bitterly. “Both blamed me, but it didn’t take much. It didn’t take much at all Dawn.” He turned to her, a plea to be believed in his eyes.

 

“Given what happened when I was with her and Rob, I’m inclined to believe you,” she stated. Anders did not lie about such things. Honesty was not always valued in their line of work, and she knew there were plenty of things Anders had not told her. He would lie, both to clients and to her, but what he did not know was that she knew when he did it. She knew him well enough to tell now, even if she had not from the start.

 

Now he nodded slowly, “doesn’t really matter anyway. Mike don’t need to know. He deserved better and this way he thinks she was better.”

 

“But what About you?” Dawn frowned.

 

“I got one hell of a weird mistletoe allergy,” he gave her a teasing smile. “Maybe it’ll be good for sympathy sex at some point.”

 

“Now you’re disgusting again,” but there is no venom in her voice as she scolds him. “I’m going to swing by tomorrow and see how you are. Make sure rest, and use the lotion.”

 

“I will,” he promises. “Thanks.”

 

Dawn waves over her shoulder and leaves so he can crawl down under the cover. It’s amazing how much better Dawn can make him feel just by listening to him. To his surprise it also feels better to have told her what happened.

  
Even more surprising, when she drops by the next day he’s already a lot better. The rash goes away much more quickly than he’s used to, and he can’t help but wonder why.

 

The End

Please comment, the Cricket is hungry. And please read the Christmas series by Aramirandme81


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